In another time, Mississippi State would have no reason to hang its head the morning after. Behind their backup quarterback, the Bulldogs took a fourth-quarter lead on the road in the SEC and didn't lose it until giving up a touchdown pass in the final seconds.

In another place, Dan Mullen's team could walk out of Jordan-Hare Stadium after Auburn 24, Mississippi State 20 secure in the knowledge that they can compete with the better teams in the toughest division in college football.

But Auburn, while rebuilding nicely under new head coach Gus Malzahn, isn't one of the better teams in the SEC just yet. In beating State, the Tigers snapped their own 10-game conference losing streak. Malzahn, by continuing his role as Mullen's nemesis, nudged him closer to the day when State fans start asking out loud if he's the man to stop this slide and get their program to the next level.

The Mississippi State offense couldn't run out the clock in the fourth quarter against an Auburn defense that still has plenty of room for growth. The Mississippi State defense couldn't stop an uneven Auburn offense from going the distance on the final drive.

The Bulldogs dropped to 1-2 this season, but the real shame is the extended trend. They've now lost seven of their last eight games against Football Bowl Subdivision opponents and five of their last six SEC games.

If that weren't troubling enough, while they continue to slide, rival Ole Miss continues to rise, improving to 3-0 after destroying Texas on the road and pushing Mack Brown and the Longhorns closer to the edge of total anarchy.

With games still remaining against Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M and Ole Miss, teams that all beat the Bulldogs by at least three touchdowns last season, plus a November trip to South Carolina, State's facing the distinct possibility of suffering Mullen's first losing season since his first year in Starkville in 2009.

Three years ago, State looked like a program on the rise. After losing at Auburn, the Bulldogs are headed in the opposite direction.